Automatic line splice and terminal connector



Marc ,1949. I I N. BUCHANAN 2,463,145

AUTOMATIC LiNE SPLICE AND TERMINAL CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 29, 1946 F E r-TE. g5 g4 fizz d a 5 77 f7 Z7 Z8 4, 5 16 a PM iiiiii II," M I! H II III II .14 W 3 Wm I J INVENTOR I (JEN/MM Buck/MA I 1 4.2% 4' ATT/ORNE Patented Mar. 1, 1949 AUTOMATIC LINE SPLICE; AND CONNECTOR Q Stephen N Buchanan, WestmorelanmHillsl Md assignor tel-Buchanan ElectricaliProductswCo poration, azcorporation of New-Jersey ApplicatiiinNovemben 29, 1946, Serial Nd. 7123756 'I'hi's invention' relates to=a*solderless wire connect'or; and -more particularly to an automatic line spliee and terminal? In-=the erection and-repair of-power lines, it is frequently necessary to splice the line between supportin'ggtowers; or-to connecttheline as by a termin'al toa'bindingpost or the like. Relatively heavy insulated cable is customarily used for high tension power'lines which, because of its thickness, renders splicing or connecting, as the-case mayebefidifficult -because of the relative rigidity and-"weightof the' cable. Therehave been devised, of course, various types of splices and connectors for such power cables, but many of these are characterizedby' -such objectionable features as inapplicability to'cables varying in size; diffi cultyof connection or disconnection to or from the cable, loss of the entire unit in the event that a portion thereof is broken, and costliness by reason of diflieult' manufacturing operations necessaryto produce the unit.

It' is accordingly among the *objects" ofmy inventicinto provide a line-connector which overcomes such'objects in -additicn to others.

Iii-accordance with one form-cf my invention,

I utilize a central bushing,"closed at its central portion as by a-transversely extending-web, which forms with the bushing sides oppositely extending cups for the reception of springs-. The outer surface of the bushing is threaded to-receive tapered casings, in" each-of which is disposed an axially I movablechucki Each-chuck is preferably pro" vided with an inwardly extending-shoulder orring, about whichthe adjacent-end of the spring" maywbe attached so "that upon assembly or' dis-- assembly ofthe connector; the chuck and spring do not become disassembled. Each of the springs biases its chuck axially outward of the connector so that the taper of the connector casing or shell" tends to force the chuck jaws towardone another,

thus togrip' apcable end disposed within the Figure 2'is an enlarged vertical section of the assembled 1ine splice;

Figure 3 is a sectiontaken'aldng the line 3+3 of-Fi'gure 2; and

Figure ,a-illustrate's'my connector used as a terminal.

Similar-reference characters refer to similar parts-throughout'ithe views-"of the drawing.

Referring first to Figure 2,"th' 1ine splice,'which 2 is generally indicated 'at'lll, =compr-is'es-a bushin II and oppositely extending casings li andxtl within which are respectively disposed "chucks M i and I5, biased-in opposite directionsrespectively- 5 by springs-16" and-l1-.-- Bushingll pre-ferablya comprises coaxial oppositely extending cups- 8 :1 and is, which are exteriorly threaded as shown;a and are connected by a web 'l lai which forms the bottom of the two cups and -aradiallyyextendinge shoulder I lb -which--forms'-a stop' fon thecasingsu I 2 and 1 (Pat a -point midway yb'etweem th'e -ends of bushing H.

Cup 18 =threadably-*receives -casing i 2,-' the cyim drical portion l2a of w-hi'ch is inte'riorly threadeds" From this cylindrical "portion l Za' eXtends" the-ta l: pered portion -l2b'= 'ofthe casing; and. it is-in this portion that chuckl 4 is dis-posed for "axial movement relative tothelcasinguj Chuck *1 4 -maycomprise a =plurality of jaws; for example three' jaws Ma, Mband-Mc (Figures l and-- 3) -'-the ends which preferably have the same degree of taipe as casing portion l2bl' Thus it ieuewmhatc s chuck I 4 (Fi gure *2) moves" outwardly I of easing? 12, the chuck jaws close towawD- oneanothen by reason of the interengagementfibetween theiritas pared portions and "the tapered easing portion 12b.

Spring l6, which is disposedin cuip I8,-prefi-'- era-bly has aflat coil! fid adapted td seat against web Ma, and at its right-hand end is provid'eii with a reducedcoil l6bl which is =wound abeut projections extending inwardly of' the chuck jaws forming a-neck 2 I and shoulder zz on theeinner end of the chuck. Thus-as is moreclearly-show a in Figure -1, prio'r"te assembly chuckl l and spring [6 "are loosely but securely tied together, preclud ing separation of the *parts duringw'any vsubse quent use-thereof." This, of course facilitates initial assembly forsplice and any subseq-uerit so use thereof which necessitatesdisassemblittandv reassembly of the splice. The-dnner surfaces of the chuck --jaws are, as may *be seenin Ffg ure 2,' suitably machined to "provide =circula ridges or teeth adapted to bite inte -the cable when the splice is assembled-thereto; securely to heldthe cable within the splitee The 'left hand end af -splice m -is; of course? identical 'to =the right 1'1and end thereofgi 'chuck l5 accordingly being provided with' an inner neck and *shoulder '23and-' 24 for "the attachment of? spring 11 thereto: Casing =13 is, identical to cas" ing 12, and chuck J5 exactly 'resembles; chuckH Thus *itTfollows that ithe eleinentslcomprisin'gftheV two ends of the splice are readily intlrchangeabl Itshoum benote'd, with respect to 011110 I and its casing l2, that outward movement of the chuck relative to the casing is limited only by the interengagement between the cylindrical portion C of the chuck with that portion of the casing taper [212, whose inner diameter is the same as the outer diameter of chuck portion C. The inward movement of the chuck relative to its casing 12 is limited by thev interengagement of the bottom B of the chuck with the lip L of cup l8. Thus the chuck has a range of movement M within casing H, the length of which may be determined by the proportions of the chuck and cup l8, so that the chuck jaws are capable of relatively wide limits of expansion and contraction, thus being able to accommodate themselves and firmly to grip cable ends of various sizes. Furthermore, through the :provision of this range of movement M, the splice may be quickly and automatically applied to a cable, and all that needs be done is force the cable end inwardly against the chuck, thus moving the chuck against the outward bias of spring It until the chuck jaws are expanded sufiiciently to permit the cable end to enter the chuck and abut against its bottom. Upon release of the inward pressure of the cable end, spring It forces the chuck outwardly of casing l2 whose tapered portion 12b contracts the chuck jaws against the cable so that the teeth on the jaws bite into the cable. outward force exerted thereon, tends to pull the cable out of the splice, the chuck jaws are pulled with it and are further contracted b the taper of casing l2 causing the teeth in the chuck jaws to bite more firmly into the cable, and accordingly more securely attach it to the splice. By the same token, when it is desired to release the cable end from the splice, all that need be done is force the cable inwardly of casing I2, carrying the chuck jaws into the casing where they have room to expand and release the cable end. If neces sary, the chuck may be momentarily retained within the casing against the bias of spring to by, any suitable tool, so that the cable end may be readily withdrawn.

Preferably the two casings l2 and 13 are drilled as at and 26, and bushing H is drilled and tapped as at Z! to receive a set screw 28 which holds the two casings against inadvertent disassembly from the bushing. Thus vibrations or other movements of the power line which might occur cannot unthread either casing from the bushing, and the several splice, parts are securely held assembled during storage or use.

By forming splice ill in two sections, as described, manufacturing operations thereof are relatively easy in contradistinction to the operations required to manufacture conventional splices of this general character which have unitary outer casings requiring difiicult crimping and assembly operations. Furthermore, if one or more elements of one end of the splice becomes lost or damaged, its replacement is a simple matter and precludes discarding the undamaged or remaining portions of the splice.

In Figure 4, I have shown my connector in the form of a terminal, enerally indicated at 29,

all portions of which are the same as one end of splice I!) (Figure 2), with the exception of bushing II. In terminal 29 (Figure 4) such bushing takes the form of a cup 30 having an angularly extending flange 3i suitably :pierced for attachment to a binding post 32, or the like. Cup at, of course, provides a recess for the reception of,

spring I6, and is threaded ezrteriorly to receive As the weightof the cable, or any other :3

4 casing I2. The terminal chuck [4 receives and retains the cable end and also releases the cable end, as described hereinbefore, with respect to splice lfl.

Thus it may be seen that I have provided a line connector which attains the several objects set forth hereinbefore in "a thoroughly practical and efiicient manner.

As many possible embodiments may :be made of the above invention and as many changes might :be made in the embodiments above set forth, it

is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: 1. An electrical connector for power lines, wires and the like, comprising a bushing having oppositely extending exteriorly threaded cup portions having a common bottom, a casing threaded on in each of said tapering end portions, said chucks being adapted to grip and hold wires inserted into the open ends of said casing against outward movement, a pair of coil springs disposed in said housing on opposite sides of said partition and having the inner ends seating thereagainst for forcing said chucks outwardly of said housing, means for attaching the outer ends of said springs to the inner ends respectively of said chucks, whereby each chuck and its spring com- "L; prises a unitary assembly, and releasable means for holding said casings and cup against disassembly.

2. An electrical connector for power lines, wires, and the like, comprising an exteriorly Ithreaded zcup a. casing r having an interiorly threaded cylindrical portion adapted to be threadably received on said cup, said casing having a tapered portion extending from said cylindrical portion, a plurality of gripping members mounted within the tapered portion of said casing for axial movement relative thereto, a spring within said cup engaging the inner ends of said gripping members for holding said gripping members in contact with the tapered portion of said casing, the lip of said cu p providing an abutment for the inner ends of said gripping members to limit theextentcf inward movement thereof, means for attaching one end of the spring to the other ends of the gripping members to form f a unitary assembly thereof, and releasable means against disasoppositely extending exteriorly threaded cup portions having a common bottom and a radially extending shoulder midway between its ends, a casing threaded on each of said cup portions forming therewith a partitioned housing, the outer ends of said casings being reduced in diameter so that said housing has tapering end portions, a chuck located in each of said tapering end portions, said chucks being adapted to grip and hold 1 wires inserted into the open ends of said casings against outward movement, a pair of coil springs disposed in said housing on opposite sides of said partition and having the inner ends seating thereagainst forforcing said chucks outwardly of said housing meansfor attaching the outerends of saidsprings to the inner ends respectively of said chucks whereby each chuck and its spring comprises a unitary assembly, and a set screw in threaded engagement with said bushing and engaging recesses provided in said casings to prevent accidental disassembly of the connector.

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 6 Name Date Berndt Dec. 8, 1936 Berndt Apr. 20, 1937 Barlow Aug. 23, 1938 Lusher Aug. 30, 1938 Fotsch Dec. 6, 1938 Fotsch Jan. 17., 1939 Rogoff Feb. 21, 1939 Becker May 16, 1939 Becker June 6, 1939 Berndt July 18, 1939 Bemdt July 18, 1939 Rogofi July 30, 1940 Pennell Aug. 6, 1940 Rogofi Sept. 17, 1940 Backer Oct. 15, 1940 Barlow Nov. 19, 1940 Barlow Nov. 19, 1940 Jugle June 30, 1942 

